Greetings and polite expressions in Egyptian Arabic

I tried to include as many useful greetings and courteous expressions as I could on this page, focusing on the expressions used in Egypt (so when I say "Colloquially people say such-and-such," I'm referring to Egypt). In some cases, I gave a standard variant and then detailed the colloquial usage below. Also, I gave everything in the masculine form, just because it's easier than including the feminine and plural forms for everything.

Do make sure to memorize the proper responses to each expression; it can be quite awkward if someone tells you something nice and you don't know what to say back! If you don't know the right response, no one will get angry at you, but if you do know what to say, it can make a really nice impression. Conveniently, usually the main verb in the response comes from the same root as the main word used in the first expression — for example, "ma3a s-salāma," "salāmtak," "Hamdillāh 3as-salāma" and "sallimli 3a...," which all have words from the s-l-m root. They all have the same response, "allāh ysallimak," with another s-l-m root word. So if you keep that in mind, it helps in remembering the right response.

Welcome; hello: أهلا وسهلا (ahlan wa sahlan)
Response: أهلا بيك (ahlan bīk)
You can say أهلا وسهلا when welcoming someone (ex. to your country or home). And you can also say اهلا to mean just "hello."

Welcome; hello: مرحبا (marHaban)
Response: مرحبا بيك (marHaban bīk)
مرحبا can be used in much the same way as أهلا وسهلا, and it has a more colloquial pronunciation of "marHaba." One colloquial response is مرحبتين (marHabtein - lit. two welcomes). مرحبا is not really used in Egypt outside of tourist signs and so forth, but in other places like the Gulf and Levant, it's used frequently to say hello.

Hello: السلام عليكم (as-salāmu 3aleikum) - lit. Peace be upon you
Response: وعليكم السلام (w3aleikum as-salām)
A common greeting used by Muslims. You can also add ورحمة الله وبركاته (waraHmatu llāhi wabarakātu - and God's mercy and blessings) to the end.

Good morning: صباح الخير (SabāH al-xeir)
Response: صباح النور (SabāH an-nūr)
There are more colloquial variants on صباح الخير/النور that you can use, like صباح القشطة (SabāH il-'išTa - lit. morning of cream), صباح الفل (SabāH il-full - lit. morning of jasmine), and صباح الورد (SabāH il-ward - lit. morning of rose). They're a little "baladi" (i.e. used more by the rural and lower classes), but you can still use them to add some color to your speech.

How are you?: كيف حالك؟ (keif Hālak)
Response: بخير الحمد لله (bexeir al-Hamdulillāh) - Fine, thank God
كيف حالك can be said in a colloquial context, especially in the Levant. In Egypt, however, the commonly used expression for "How are you?" is ازيك (izzayyak). You can also say, ازي الاحوال؟ (izzayy il-aHwaal?), "How are things?" or ازي الصحة؟ (izzayy iS-SiHHa), "How's [your] health?" A common colloquial response would be كويس الحمد لله (kwayyis al-Hamdulillāh), "Good, thank God," or just "al-Hamdulillāh" on its own.

How are things going?: ايه أخبار؟ (eih axbār); أخبارك ايه؟ (axbārak eih); عامل/ة ايه؟(3amil/3amla eih)These expressions are kind of like "What's up?" as it's used in the U.S.; you don't really proceed to explain what's going on in your life — and don't say مافيش أخبار, mafīš axbār, "No news," like I did once; people will laugh at you! If you want to say "Nothing new," you can say لا جديد la gedīd. People usually just say something like "al-Hamdulillāh" or كويس (kwayyis, "Good") or كلو تمام (kullu tamām, "Everything's fine").

Goodbye: مع السلامة (ma3a s-salāma) - said to the person leaving; lit. Go in peace
Response: الله يسلمك (allāh ysallimak) - said by the person leaving; lit. May God protect you
Often when people are leaving they just say "salām" or "as-salāmu 3aleikum" and those remaining say "ma3a s-salāma."

Used to welcome s.o. arriving from a trip or greet s.o. who has just recovered from an illness:حمد لله عالسلامة (Hamdilla 3as-salāma) - lit. Thank God for (your) safety
Response: الله يسلمك (allāh ysallimak)

Welcome to Egypt: نوّرت مصر (nawwart maSr) - lit. You have lit up Egypt
Response: ده نورك كفاية (da nūrak kifāya), lit. Your light is enough - or مصر منوّرة بيك (maSr menawwara bīk), lit. Egypt is lit up by you - or منوّرة بأهلها (menawwara bi-ahlaha), lit. It is lit up by its people
You can also say "Menawwara" on its own to welcome someone anywhere.

Get well soon: سلامتك (salāmtak) or الله يشفيك (allāh yišfīk) - lit. "May God heal you"
Response: الله يسلمك (allāh ysallimak) - this is the response to سلامتك. However, الله يشفيك has no set response; you can just say شكرا (šukran)

Please: من فضلك (min faDlak)
Please: لو سمحت (law samaHt) - can also be used to get a waiter's attention, for example
Please, go ahead: اتفضل (itfaDDal) - an invitation to sit, enter a room, take something, etc.

Thank you: شكرا (šukran) or a stronger variant,
A thousand thanks: ألف شكر (alf šukr)
Another way to say "Thank you" is متشكر (mutašakkir), which also has a feminine variant متشكرة (mutašakkira) and plural variant متشكرين (mutašakkrīn). مرسي (mersi) is another colloquial alternative. To say "Thank you very much," you can say شكرا جزيلا (šukran gazīlan) or متشكر قوي (mutašakkir 'awi).

Also, when someone compliments you or something you did, you can tell them, شكرا\مرسي \ الله يخليك (šukran/mersi/allāh yxallīk), followed by ده من ذوقك (da min zoo'ak), lit. "That's from your taste." This is used much like the English "Thank you, you're too kind."

Used to express admiration or praise: ما شاء الله (ma ša' allāh) - lit. God has willed it.
This might be used when someone shows you a picture of their kids or grandkids; when someone introduces you to their kids; if someone shows you something great they just bought; when you enter someone's home for the first time and admire its decor; or if you want to compliment someone's beautiful appearance. It's like saying, "Wow, how beautiful!"

Used to refer to events taking place in the future: إن شاء الله (in ša' allāh) - lit. if God wills
This is used a lot, anytime you talk about something taking place in the future. "See you tonight in ša' allāh." "I'll do it tomorrow in ša' allāh." "Can you finish the report by Thursday?" "In ša' allāh." And so on.

Used when you see s.o. with a new haircut, or if s.o. has just taken a bath or shower:نعيما (na3īman)
Response: الله ينعم عليك (allāh yin3am 3aleik)

Greeting to a Muslim who has just finished praying: حرما (Haraman)
Response: جمعا (gama3an)

Said by a guest to the host at the end of a meal: دايما or دايما عامر (dayman or dayman 3āmir) - lit. May you always prosper
Response: دامت حياتك (dāmit Hayātak) - lit. May your life last long

When someone sneezes:
The sneezer says: الحمد لله (il-Hamdu lillāh) - lit. Praise to God
Someone else: يرحمكم الله (yarHamkum llāh) - lit. May God have mercy on you (pl.)
The sneezer: يرحمنا ويرحمكم (ويغفر لنا ولكم) (yarHamna wa-yarHamkum [wa-yaġfir lana wa-lakum]) - lit. May He have mercy on us and you (and forgive us and you)
This is what Muslims in Egypt say when someone sneeezes. The ويغفر لنا ولكم part is an optional addition that some people say.

"Very gladly" responses to requests:
بكل سرور (bikull sirūr) - lit. with all pleasure
غالي والطلب رخيص (ghāli wiT-Talab rixīS) - lit. [You are] precious, and the request is cheap. That is, you're so dear that anything you ask for seems cheap.
على العين والراس(3al-3ein wir-rās) - lit. on the eye and head
من عيني دي وعيني دي (min 3eini di w3eini di) - lit. from this eye and this eye
The last two are pretty "baladi," but still good to know.

Good job; well done: برافو عليك (braavo 3aleik) or
الله ينوّر عليك (allāh ynawwar 3aleik)
Response: no set response; you can say شكرا, or in response to الله ينوّر عليك, you can say وعليك (انت كمان) (wa 3aleik [inta kaman])

I wish the same for you: عقبالك(3o'bālak)Response: no set response, but you could say الله يخليك (allāh yxallīk) - God keep you.
Can be used when someone congratulates you on any happy occassion (a wedding, new baby, promotion, etc.) to wish them the same good fortune. However, you would want to be tactful when using it; for example, if you'd just had a baby and a friend who couldn't have children congratulated you, it would be better not to say "3o'bālik" to her.

Congratulations on an engagementIn addition to simply saying مبروك or ألف مبروك, you can say the following to congratulate someone on an engagement. Note that people often will say مبروك and pair it with one of the following:

بالرفاة والبنين ان شاء الله (bir-rafā' wal-banīn in ša' allāh)
"May you live in comfort and have children." رفاء is sometimes written as رفاة. This is more of a written expression than a spoken one.

ربنا يبارك لكم (rabbina ybārik lakum)
"May God bless you."

بارك الله لكما وبارك عليكما وجمع بينكما في خير (bāraka allāhu lakuma wa-bāraka 3aleikuma wa-jama3a beinakuma fi xeir)
"May God bless you, surround you with blessings, and bring you both together in virtue and prosperity." As it was first said by the prophet Muhammad, this expression is used by Muslims.

Congatulations and encouragement to a pregnant womanIn addition to مبروك and الف مبروك, you can say:

حمد لله على سلامتك (Hamdilla 3a-salamtik)
"Thank God for your safety." Said to the mother after a successful delivery.

CondolencesThe following expressions can be used by both Muslims and Christians in Egypt. They are followed by condolences used specifically by Muslims and Christians.

Be strong; keep your chin up: شدّ حيلك (šidd Heilak) - lit. Pull your strength
Response: الشدة على الله (iš-šidda 3ala-llah)
This expression can be used as a condolence, or anytime someone is about to face a challenging event, like a test or job interview.

May his/her spirit/memory remain in your life: البقية في حياتك (il-ba'iyya fi Hayātak)
Response: حياتك البقية (Hayātak il-ba'iya)
Another condolence. Some say it's a reference to the rest of the deceased's lifespan, which was cut short, being added to yours. On that basis, it could be viewed as sacriligeous; some would say that everyone only lives their alloted lifespan, and God doesn't cut anyone's life shorter than it's meant to be. See here, for example. So you may want to stick with other condolences such as شد حيلك if you want to be really safe.

May God have mercy on him:الله يرحمه (allāh yirHamu)
This is usually paired with an additional condolence. For instance, one could say الله يرحمه ويسكنه فسيح جناته (allāh yirHamu wa-yuskinu fasiiH jannātu), "May God have mercy on him and make him live in His vastest paradise." This is standard rather than colloquial, and would be a Muslim condolence.

يربنا يجعلها آخر الاحزان\يا رب تكون آخر الاحزان (rabbina yig3alha ākhir il-aHzān/ya rabb tikūn ākhir il-aHzān)
"May God make it the last of [your] sorrows/May it be the last of [your] sorrows." The first option is more standard, the second is more colloquial.